Mining is not a sustainable industry
Sustainable mining is called recycling. I trust that Chris DeWitt (May 24, My Turn) is active in promoting and practicing this activity which reduces impacts on our overflowing landfill, minimizes hazardous wastes, and uses less energy than harvesting raw resources.

Manager says Wal-Mart critics are wrong
Letter writer Ben Madison is absolutely right about consumers welcoming Wal-Mart to help them deal with the high cost of living ("Save Juneau from Wal-Mart's ills" on May 26).

Landless issue crucial to Sealaska
Sealaska Corp. is holding its annual meeting in Ketchikan this June, and reminding shareholders, that land is the backbone of our corporation, and our guiding strength.

Rec center is waste of city tax dollars
I can't really advocate putting overweight kids to work digging ditches, but Brad Rider has a good point in his May 29 letter about what some members of the City Assembly intend to do with our tax dollars.

Alaska Air flights, baggage delayed
Flights into Juneau appear to be delayed more often since Alaska Airlines laid off nearly 500 employees and started training contracted workers, passengers and union officials said.

Murder sentence for Soto revised
One of the men convicted in the 2000 Juneau beating death of Kenneth Ike Thomas shaved 15 years from his sentence Tuesday after agreeing to drop his appeal and testify in a second trial of the other man imprisoned for the crime.

Arson suspect faces new charges
The man charged with setting a September fire in Auke Bay pleaded not guilty Tuesday to two new felony charges he called "vindictive prosecution."

Airport says no to FAA runway plan
Juneau International Airport officials have reiterated their opposition to a technology suggested by the Federal Aviation Administration to improve Juneau's runway-end safety areas.

37.95-pound chinook wins ninth derby
The long wait is over for Wally R. Frank Jr., and the 42-year-old vocational rehabilitation counselor from Angoon has brought glory to the rocks at False Outer Point.

Shelter helper
Mendenhall River School student Danaya Caldwell presents a check for $111.78 to Gastineau Humane Society Executive Director Chava Lee. Caldwell's one-month, personal-growth project consisted of a coin drive for the animals at the shelter.

Southeast neighbor
Over the Memorial Day weekend, a small pod of killer whales was spotted in the area from Funter Bay to Point Retreat.

Brenton and Lamb wed
Melinda Brenton of Charlotte, Mich., and Jonas (John) Lamb of West Bloomfield, Mich., were married at 11 a.m., May 23, 2005, on top of Thunder Mountain.

Varness and Meek marry
Juneau resident Bobbi Ann Varness and Mathew James Meek of Shelby, Mass., were married at 2 p.m., May 20, 2005, at Shepherd of the Valley Lutheran Church in Juneau.

Just what are the lilacs saying?
All the world loves lilac when it blooms. Even those who don't care for it at other times of the year are carried away as the large flowering shrubs fill the air with their perfume.

Davenport delivers win for Cards
Sage Davenport ripped a two-run double in the bottom of the final inning to lift the Cardinals past a game Orioles squad in major softball action last week by a score of 10-8.

Waiting for the pitch
Megan Hart, catcher for the Major Softball League Marlins, awaits the pitch during a game on Saturday.

JDHS softball team set to defend title
The Juneau-Douglas High School softball team heads down to Fairbanks tomorrow to defend its state title as a four-seed and Crimson Bears coach Dave Massey is not happy about it.

Sports in Juneau
Sports in Juneau is a service provided by the Juneau Empire to provide information on upcoming sports and outdoors events in Juneau.

Buyer drops out of gas line proposal
Sempra Energy Co., citing "protracted political wrestling" and doubts that North Slope producers would cooperate, has dropped out of a natural gas line proposal being considered by the state.

Administration builds case against pot
Possession of small amounts of marijuana at home for personal use will soon be challenged by the state, based on a body of information being compiled by the Alaska Legislature.

Photo: A spell-bound Alaskan
Participants in the 78th annual National Spelling Bee, from left, Danielle Tacey, 11, of Anchorage, Jonathan Horton, 12, of Gilbert, Ariz., and Levi Foster, 14, of Fayetteville, Ark., await their turns during the bee Wednesday in Washington, D.C.

First Friday: Maps, Cityscapes, Jewelry
Juneau artist Sue Kraft will share 10 large paintings and up to 15 5-by-7-inch works as June's featured artist at the Juneau Arts and Humanities Council, 206 N. Franklin Street.

A blend of punk legends
The Misfits and Black Flag, two of the most legendary punk bands of the early 1980s, were introduced to each other sometime in 1980 by a young Washington, D.C., punk named Henry Garfield.